


Ardyn Izunia, Mechanic Extraordinaire

by Happy_Orc



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Cid is too old for his nonsense, Gen, Hammerhead (Final Fantasy XV), Hunters, Plants, dealing with clients, mechanic!Ardyn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:54:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29112624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Happy_Orc/pseuds/Happy_Orc
Summary: Ardyn was found some 30 years ago by Cid, washed ashore with no memory of who he is or where he came from. Cid, being the secret softie that he is, takes this mysterious man back to Hammerhead and teaches him the ways or car repair. Now Ardyn is the head mechanic at Hammerhead, and he is more than willing to send his clients off on little missions in exchange for a small discount for his services.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 43





	Ardyn Izunia, Mechanic Extraordinaire

**Author's Note:**

> Based off [ALotLikeAwesome's](https://twitter.com/alotlikeawesome/status/1354475539382247425) Mechanic Ardyn AU.

It was with the greatest pleasure that Ardyn handed the keys to the old Ford pickup to Dave Auburnbrie, quite enthused to be finished with this particular job. 

The work itself had been absolutely fantastic—the hunter had a leaky coolant pipe and had slowly replaced the escaping liquid with water like the idiot he apparently was, causing the engine to overheat and seize. The pistons had completely jammed in the bores, welded in place by the extreme heat created by the internal combustion engine—there was nothing to do but replace the whole thing. As Cid and Cindy had left to attend to some emergency in Crestholm last week, Ardyn was the only one who was there to do the job. 

No, the job had been positively divine. It was his first full engine replacement and he had even managed to convince Dave’s apprentice to retrieve a replacement from the old abandoned factory near Prairie Outpost—a small town north west of where Hammerhead was built. The young man had taken off with such vim and vigor, promising Dave that he would be back with the new engine by the end of the next day. Ardyn had smiled at his enthusiasm and wished him luck, knowing full well that the location would be overrun with creatures by now—some of them possibly dangerous. Abandoned buildings did not stay vacant long in the outlying regions of Lucis, where there was no real pest control. This was not the Crown City after all; there would be no Crownsguard to ensure the safety of the citizens out here. 

The strapping young lad had not been back the next day. Or the day after. Or the day after that. Dave was starting to get worried. 

“One of us has to go looking for ‘im,” Dave had said on the third day. Ardyn was lounging behind the reception desk, sipping from his water bottle with his feet up on the table. He had the top of his coveralls tied around his waist and was pulling at his low-cut top, hoping to get a bit of the cooler air on his skin. There was a small fan on the desk that was pointed right at his face, blowing nothing but hot air. 

He hoped Dave would leave soon so he could close his eyes and nap; he always got so tired around noon. And the heatwave going through the Leide region was no help in keeping him awake. 

“I am quite convinced that I would be no help to your skilled apprentice,” he had said with a dramatic sigh. He put his water bottle down and placed his hands behind his head. Cid had left with Cindy quite suddenly and without much of an explanation, which meant that no one would be there to harass him for sleeping in the middle of the work day. There was no work he could be doing now, what with him waiting on an engine for Dave and his next appointment not until 3 that afternoon. “If you are so concerned, why not go check on him yourself? I am sure he would be overjoyed to see you again. He seemed quite fond of you.”

“In case you forgot, sir, I don’t have a car at the moment,” Dave had growled back, but then Dave always growled. It was almost as though the man made a concerted effort to be as much like his large brown dog as possible; that beast also made it his life’s goal to growl at Ardyn at every available opportunity. But then, that was not something unique to Dave’s dog, and so Ardyn could not hold it against the man or his loyal pet. Animals tended to not like the mechanic, something about him made them uneasy.

“Then I suppose your wayward companion will have to find his own way home.” Ardyn waved his hand dismissively. He could see the effort Dave put into trying to not lose his cool, could see the hunter grinding his teeth and clenching his fists. 

The two of them had had this conversation several times now and it seemed that they both were starting to find it more than just a bit tiresome. Dave wanted Ardyn to magically fix his truck so that the hunter could go run off to play the hero and save his little friend. When it became obvious that Adyn had no ability to fix something that was beyond broken, no matter how much money Dave offered to throw at the problem, he had started on trying to get Ardyn to go. But that was not likely to happen; it would not do for Cid to return from his impromptu trip with Cindy only to find his shop abandoned and a line of irate clients outside the locked doors. No, Ardyn was staying right here. If Dave wanted to go to the dangerous fiend-infested factory then he could walk there. 

But then something new happened. Dave smiled. Arden felt his trepidation grow. He knew that smile. He was usually the one giving it to his clients right before suggesting they might save some money if they just went out and took care of some problem or other in exchange for a discount. It was rare that he was on the receiving end of that smile. “You could always lend me your car,” Dave said.

Ardyn choked on his water and nearly fell out of his chair at the sheer incredulity of that statement. He coughed a few times before fixing his eyes on the man and pinning him with his most feral customer service smile. “I’m sorry Mr. Auburnbrie, I think I misheard you just then.”

“You heard me, Mr Izunia." Oh, it had been a while since he heard his name said with that much derision. "If ye won’t go looking for my apprentice and ye won’t fix my truck--”

“--can’t fix your truck--”

“Fine, can’t fix my truck ‘till the l’il kid comes back, then you might’s well gimmie yours so’s I can go lookin’ for ‘im.” 

Ardyn stared. “No.”

“Have some mercy man, the kid’ll prob’ly be next to dead by now, someone’s gotta go ‘n look for him.”

“I am afraid that both the Vixen as well as myself are far too frail and delicate to go on such a dangerous mission.”

Dave’s expression could have cut a diamond. “I think last night I saw you haul my old engine onto a workstation by your delicate self. That don’t seem none too frail to go lookin’ for some poor lost soul to me.”

That… well yes, he had done that, but that was at night and he had been pretty sure that the place had been empty at the time. “I’m sure you just missed the jack I was using.” Ardyn shrugged dismissively. He leaned back in the char again and crossed his ankle over his knee. Dave fixed him with a flat stare. 

“I’m sure.” Dave sounded sure of the fact that Ardyn was full of it.

The mechanic hummed. “You do realize that you’re suggesting that I lifted a two tonne engine off the ground without any assistance, yes?” He looked over his nails with all the nonchalance he could muster. They were still a bit dirty even after the thorough handwashing in the utility sink.

There was a pregnant pause as Dave mulled this over. Ardyn picked at his nails with an air of indifference, waiting for the hunter to get his thoughts in order. “I suppose you’re right sir, that would’ve been impossible. Must’ve been my imagination.” 

“Hmm, quite.”

The back and forth lasted the better part of the day. Ardyn had eventually relented. He was not about to lend out the most amazing car to ever roll over the roads of Lucis to some brute who did not know the difference between water and coolant, but he did come up with a different solution. He offered Dave one of the old scrap cars in the back, which Cid kept for spare parts. It was old and ugly and the floor had holes where the rust had eaten through the metal. Ardyn made sure that the man knew that there were no guarantees on how far the old clunker would make it, that there was not going to be any rescue and that there would be an extra charge if the car did not make it back. Thankfully, Dave seemed more than thankful to be able to run off into the wilds to valiantly rescue his apprentice, and did not complain about any of the details. 

In retrospect, Ardyn should have taken a large deposit for that loaner. Ah well, hindsight 20/20 as they say. He would remember for next time.

Ardyn had revelled in the peace and quiet for the rest of the day. No Cid to badger him, no Cindy to complain about his music, no Dave to harass him—just Ardyn, the little collection of succulents in the reception room and his adorable Vixin. He was sure to let her know how much he adored her and how special she was while reworking the wiring to accommodate the newly installed AM/FM radio. 

The hunters had returned the next day without the loaner car. “It’s somewhere between here and there,” Dave had said in that flat, dull voice of his which honestly was beyond unhelpful. The dog growled in agreement. Ardyn hoped beyond hope that Cid would not make him go out into the desert to retrieve it when he came back and found that old clunker missing.

“Yes, well, can you at least tell me what side of the road you left the car on?”

“The left side.” Ardyn was going to rip his own hair out in sheer frustration. 

“Any identifying land marks? Was it on your way out to the factory or back? Is there any other information you can provide?”

“Near a dead tree by an intersection.” Dave’s dog gave a small bark of confirmation. 

If Ardyn were not so busy stomping down on the desire to yeet this man to the other side of the parking lot he might have admired the stonewalling Dave was demonstrating. Giving just enough information to not be unhelpful while still being incredibly unhelpful. 

It was going to be painful when Cid would inevitably send him out to find that damn car back. 

Ardyn had the two hunters back their truck into the garage so he could unload the engine and get to work. After having sat in an abandoned factory for so long he needed to make sure that there was not too much rust or damage. The pulleys seemed to be in working order, but there was some questionable rust on the alternator—he’d have to make sure that this would not cause a short. If it did, he would have to cannibalize the alternator from the busted engine.

Dave was in and out of the shop for the rest of the afternoon as the truck was being reassembled, his dog close behind, wanting to know how much longer it would take before the repairs would be complete. Apparently ‘as long as it takes’ was not a satisfactory answer and they nearly devolved into another disagreement before Takka showed up with lunch. 

Ardyn only got saltier the more Dave checked in on his progress and eventually reminded Dave in a very tight voice laced with strained smiles that the more he was bothered the longer it would take. And that he was charging for his labour by the hour. A quick reminder of what that rate was got Dave out of his hair.

Relative peace was had for the rest of the day. 

He finished the job the next day and made sure to get paid in full. Ardyn also made sure to add a nice big line on the bill for the missing loaner car, refundable upon its return. 

“Well, if’n you can give us a tow, you can get yer car back,” Dave had said.

“Why yes, I could go out there and tow back that lovely car that you left abandoned somewhere along the road. But I also seem to recall that we had an agreement that you were to return it on your own power lest you would be charged for Hammerhead’s missing property.”

“That’s the truth, sir, but this is—what you’re charging me is almost the cost of a car.”

“You lost one of Hammerhead’s cars, Mr. Auburnbrie. It’s only right that you get charged accordingly.”

“You’ve got a real broad definition of what a car is, sir,” Dave muttered under his breath, but Ardyn’s keen hearing managed to catch it.

“Four wheels and a motor to make it go forward, yes. Sometimes they even go vroom.” 

There was a bit of a beat as Dave processed Ardyn’s overly jovial tone. “But you can go ‘n tow it back here.”

Ardyn leaned over the counter. “I could charge you for the missing car, as we had originally agreed, or I could keep your car here while I go and look for the car you lost. Which you said is, and I quote, ‘somewhere between here and there.’ I would need to spend hours looking for it. Then add the tow fee. Not to mention the extra hazard pay for going out into the wilds—there are dangerous beasts out there, did you know?” He twirled the keys on his index finger, his eyes boring into Dave’s soul. As he spoke he slowly leaned closer and closer until he was just inside Dave’s personal space, his predatory smile too close for comfort. 

Dave’s stoic expression seemed to crack, his unease showing in the way his mouth pinched and his eyes widened. “I--I believe that--ahem. Yes, I believe that you make a fair point. Sir.” The honorific was added almost as a panicked after thought. “We’ll. Yes, we’ll just…”

He handed over the cash and Ardyn thanked him with a rapacious smile. He gave the keys to the pickup back to Dave and wished him safe travels. “Don’t forget that we’ll be here for all your mechanical needs, Mr. Auburnbrie!” The man grunted as he grabbed his keys and stomped out of the reception room. Ardyn gave his retreating back a small wave. 

He never did find out why that young apprentice had not returned on his own power. Things must have been a bit more hazardous in the abandoned factory than he had originally guessed. If so that meant that he would not be able to send unwitting clients there again in the future lest they get eaten. A dead customer can’t pay, after all, and they most certainly will not return for future repairs. 

Perhap he could go out there and have a quick peek. He might even be able to convince Cid to pay him. Or maybe Takka had a little hunt in the area that Ardyn could take, and then along the way he could pop in and see what was going on in there. Maybe there were even some old abandoned tools to be found out there; he was missing a few imperial deep sockets for his impact gun after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm gonna be playing it a bit loosy goosy with the world map - there will be more town and they will be bigger than what you see in game. Just gonna make the outlying regions of Lucis around the same size as the continental US. As such, the Hammerhead Full Service Station will be in the small town of Cotisse (named for the Haven north of Hammerhead)


End file.
